For NAIDOC Week this year, we talked to Kim Collard, a sharp Indigenous entrepreneur from our patch who owns two of the most successful Indigenous businesses in Western Australia and was named the “male elder of the year” at the NAIDOC Awards.
In 2015, Collard’s business mentor asked him where he wanted to be in 10 years and after some deep reflection, Collard replied, “I want to be seen giving back, and I want to be seen leaving a legacy for my community”. Almost 10 years later, what started as Collard’s passion – the Bibbulmun Fund, a philanthropy fund following a community investment model, had given back $1.4 million to 19 charitable Indigenous organisations.
It was good timing for the two businesses Collard started on the back of that early advisory, Kulbardi – an office supply company and Kooya, a fleet management and salary packaging advisory
Established in 2013, Kulbardi now has over 40 employees with a national footprint in every state and territory. Kooya, however, started as a consultancy firm 25 years ago before its services diversified to manage highly competitive and sustainable fleet solutions. The fleet now has thousands of vehicles, plants and equipment in every remote area of Australia, he says.
Winning the Award
Collard was engagingly humble when we congratulated him on the achievement. He thanked and congratulated the other finalists for the “awe- inspiring” work they have done in the community.
“I want to acknowledge Dr John Binda Reid and Klynton Wanganeen, the other finalists. They are two amazing gentlemen nominated for the same category to do fantastic work in our Aboriginal community,” Collard said.
“I was incredibly proud just to have been a finalist – being one of only three in Australia. Being chosen by your Aboriginal community was an incredible honour.”
“It’s a huge mantle to carry – and a great deal of honour in the next 12 months to fulfil the role and function as the national male elder of the year.”
Talking business
Collard has had a whirlwind career, starting as a welder and joining the police force becoming senior constable, before becoming an academic after taking his first undergraduate degree in Aboriginal community management in his late 30s.
With now a long term strategy in place and his daughter succeeding him, Collard looks back, saying that while he saw a gap in the market, it wasn’t until the Mabo decision in 1992 that Indigenous businesses started to develop and then boom.
“When I started my business 25 years ago in consultancy, I honestly could count the number of Aboriginal businesses on one hand – maybe two”, Collard said.
“In [the year] 2000, there was 11. In 2013, there were only 70 Aboriginal businesses in Australia. Today, in 2024, there are over 4500 to 5000 businesses – there’s been exponential growth over the last 10 years.”
Collard attributes the rapid growth to the recognition of native title – which “changed the whole social, political and economic landscape for Aboriginal people”. He said that according to Supply Nation’s The Sleeping Giants, a report he had contributed to, Aboriginal businesses had grown from 70 to 4000 within t10 years, making the industry the fastest growing in the nation.
With the mining, resources and gas sector now legally required to consult Indigenous Australians, he saw an opportunity in Indigenous consulting, giving birth to Kooya Consultancy – a small firm navigating the volatile market and employing five people.
“I fortunately was on the forefront of that and was able to establish two very successful businesses, and on top of those businesses, I established a philanthropic arm – the Bibbulmun Fund,” Collard said.
According to Collard, another challenge in the early days was finding indigenous people with specialised experience and knowledge in stationary work and janitorial cleaning. But now, with an Aboriginal employment strategy in place, his business consists of 30 per cent Indigenous employees, with a training program for incoming young Aboriginal employees in place.
The hope was they would stay on and reach senior and managerial positions, said Collard.
Sustainability – on making things better
Collard mentions that sustainability and protecting nature were part of his philanthropic endeavours.
“We are really big on sustainability,” Collard said, “in protecting Mother Earth and making sure we leave this place better than we found it. And winning the role as the male elder of the year, I have a huge obligation to make sure I ramp up sustainability policies to meet federal government and the zero emission targets.”
“We have zero emission policies across our businesses, but with Kooya especially – we’ve just signed off on a major contract with Fortescue for a supply of EVs – not just motor vehicles but also larger plant and equipment.
“Even within Kulbardi, we’ve been looking at making sure all our facilities have solar panels. We are reducing the wrapping of our products in plastic and using more sustainable products.”
The key to a successful business
There are three key things to a successful business, said Collard. Namely product, pricing and customer service.
“Both my businesses right from early on are very strong in these areas; otherwise, we can’t compete. If we don’t have products, are not competitive in pricing, or do not have a good customer service strategy, We might as well walk out,” said Collard. “It’s reason why we are successful and very competitive.”
Looking to the future
“My message is very clear,” Collard said when we asked what advice he had for corporates and others thinking of engaging with Indigenous businesses.
“It’s to have the confidence to engage with the Aboriginal business sector.
“In the early days, we had this thing called the glass ceiling, but we’ve been able to smash through the glass ceiling, and the Aboriginal business sector is now becoming quite mature.
“Be bold and procure products and services from the Aboriginal communities, and you won’t be disappointed.”
As for Collard himself? His plans as a business leader are to “maintain the fire and hand over the mantle to the future generation of young businessmen, women and entrepreneurs.”